90min

Nottingham Forest 'close to agreeing' Eddie Nketiah fee

  • Eddie Nketiah remains on course to leave Arsenal this summer
  • Striker wanted by Nottingham Forest with talks ongoing
  • Previous negotiations with Marseille failed to yield agreement

By Jamie Spencer

Eddie Nketiah is edging closer to Arsenal exit
Eddie Nketiah is edging closer to Arsenal exit / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages
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Arsenal are "close" to agreeing a deal with Nottingham Forest over Eddie Nketiah, with one bid for the striker rejected by the Gunners so far.

Despite signing a new long-term contract in 2022 off the back of a ten-goal season, Nketiah has remained a fringe player at Arsenal. He started only ten Premier League games in 2023/24 – none at all after the turn of the calendar year – and was an unused sub for last weekend's 2024/25 opener.

At the age of 25, Nketiah is no longer an up and coming talent and seemingly has no choice but to move if he wants to play regular football.

The Athletic reports that talks between Arsenal and Forest are continuing after a package that totalled £25m was turned down. The Gunners are hoping to get in the region of £30m and £35m for Nketiah, with talks between Forest and the player's camp over personal terms also progressing.

Crystal Palace are said to hold interest but are not in advanced discussions.

Eddie Nketiah
Nketiah will struggle for regular game time at Arsenal / Orlando Ramirez/GettyImages

Nketiah looked as though he could join Marseille earlier in the summer, only for the proposed move to break down amid failure between the clubs to agree a transfer fee.

Forest were one of only four Premier League teams last season to fall short of 50 goals over the 38-game campaign, with a lack of depth up front exposed by Taiwo Awoniyi's injury absences. Veteran New Zealand international Chris Wood started and scored in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Bournemouth to open the new season, with Awoniyi appearing from the bench later on.

Nketiah has never had the chance to be a regular starter over an extended period in his career to date, although he is England's all-time record goalscorer at Under-21 level.

Despite links to a number of options and it arguably being the only missing piece of the puzzle, Arsenal haven't signed a central striker this summer. Kai Havertz lined up as the 'number nine' against Wolves at the weekend and thrived, having enjoyed a strong end to last season as well.

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